Posts tagged ‘First Epistle of John’

Let me begin this discussion by assuring you that nothing is beyond your reach. All that you have not achieved in this past year is waiting for you in this New Year. Stay focus on the prize, you have set very high and achievable goals for this brand new year. Now we will teach you how to achieve them.

The very first thing you must know, and that is, “you are the master of your destination.” Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Therefore, we ask you to clear out all negative thinking, and fill your mind with beautiful thoughts of the possibilities that lie ahead.

Remember, just as a good tree bears good fruit and a diseased tree bears inedible fruit, so the fruits of a person’s life will show the quality of his or her character.

THE GRAPEVINE

Fruit is a comprehensive word, referring to teaching, character, and action. Our character is revealed by our conduct. Our thoughts become that which we choose to be.

The journey will not be easy, but as we stated in the beginning, “it is achievable.” Every step you take, the devil will be waiting to take you down. He will be walking about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, and if you are not careful in your walk with God you will be his next victim. You must learn to grow in God’s grace. Why, Because God has already provided the victory just for you. Placing your faith in God and not in the world is the beginning of all knowledge that will transform your life and put you on the right track to achieving your desired goals. Know that a believer’s growth sometimes may be hindered or halted by three distinct enemies: the Devil, the world, and the flesh.

We are warned how the Devil walks or roams about like a lion. When lions hunt, they look for weak, young,

The Lion of the tribe of Judah ((Photo by Pastor Davis)

isolated, unguarded animals. They are the ones marked for attack. The Devil’s ultimate agenda is to destroy us, not merely to hurt, maim, or discourage, but to devour and destroy us. He does that when he gets us to bow to circumstances, pressures, or forces of his evil design, hoping thereby to make us yield to him. To overcome this evil spirit we must adopt a reverse strategy: I will call this strategy, “B.O.W. TO JESUS,” the One you BELIEVE, OBEY and WORSHIP. He overcame, refusing to bow to Satan’s devices (Matt. 4:8-10), and our growth in Him will bring the same ability to resist or stand against the Devil (1 Peter 5:9). We must be clothed in the full armor of God: be armed with the Word of God (Eph. 6:10-14), believe Him (Heb. 11:6), obey Him (1 John 3:24), and worship Him (John 4:23). Receive Christ’s overcoming victory!

When our minds are filled with the word, our strategies for achieving our desired goals are assured. Nothing can stop us now, although the devil will continue to lay stumbling blocks in our path way, however, because our minds are centered on God and we are filled with the word, these stumbling blocks are opportunities to continue to move forward at great speed.

The first step in this process is to “WRITE THE VISION,” (we will present this strategy in complete details in our next lesson.) Now I encourage you to study this step very carefully and comply with its instructions.

The next step in the process is for you to study your written plan and focus all your attention on it like a laser beam. Know that all that you do is part of the process; each step you take is placing you in the flow towards achieving the greatest victory that you have ever imaged. The process will never be easy, but it is achievable.

Now listen up, to the word of God as spoken by Peter in the book of (1 Peter 5:5-8). Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elder. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

RIVER OF LIFE (Photo by Pastor Davis)

Therefore, remain in the flow where all streams will lead you towards the lake, from there the flow of the lake will lead you into deeper and wider streams of fishing called the rivers of life. As you navigate from the river, the flow will take you into the ocean where you shall conquer your greatest victory of all. Stay with us and we will help to get you there. Remember, keep your eyes focus on Jesus, because he is your navigator, we are just the instrument that he has placed in your hands to help you day by day.

Today, we have ministered to you from a position of PEACE, PURPOSE, POWER and PROSPERITY. Always think globally as you work locally to achieve your dreams, because they are truly only a thought away. I remain your brother in JESUS CHRIST, PASTOR DAVIS/MASTER TEACHER!

My Child
You may not know me, but I know everything about you Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother’s womb Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love 1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you 1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your father 1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore Psalm 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes Revelation 21:3-4
And I’ll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you 1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me 1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is Will you be my child? John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you Luke 15:11-32

My Child
You may not know me, but I know everything about you Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother’s womb Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love 1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you 1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your father 1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore Psalm 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes Revelation 21:3-4
And I’ll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you 1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me 1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is Will you be my child? John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you Luke 15:11-32

You can know God’s will by studying His Word. The Bible contains more than a thousand pages and 750,000 words of God’s expressed will. If you study it daily, replacing your thoughts with His, you can understand what God wants.

For example, notice Jeremiah 9; “Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glories glory in this,” “that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the Lord” (vs. 23-24).

Have a humble, yielded attitude: The carnal mind is deceitful—even to itself (Jer. 17:9). It is naturally hostile to God and His spiritual laws. It cannot obey Him (Rom. 8:7-8).

This world’s Christianity does not understand this. Its religionists, teachers and leaders do not preach it.

Yet the Bible teaches that God will only listen to those who are teachable, humble and yielded to Him. Notice Isaiah 66: “Thus says the Lord, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool: where is the house that You build unto Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things has My hand made, and all those things have been, says the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word” (vs. 1-2).

Jesus used a parable to teach a valuable lesson to “some who trusted in themselves” (Luke 18:9):

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican [tax collector]. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You, that I am not as other men are, extortionist, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess” (vs. 10-12). The Pharisee “knew” that He was God’s gift to mankind.

“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner” (vs. 13). The tax collector saw himself from God’s perspective and humbled himself.

Christ continued, “I tell you, this man [the tax collector] went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted” (vs. 14).

God will not listen to the prayers of the proud and arrogant.

Keep God’s Law: To begin to understand God’s will, you must obey Him, David wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments” (Psa. 111:10).

The more you obey God, the more understanding He will give you. Moreover, the more you receive, the more God expects you to obey Him.

When you do this, God promises, “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not”—because we deliberately choose God’s way of life and stop sinning— “then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (I John 3:21-22).

God listens to those who obey Him. It is that simple.

When Jesus lived on earth, He knew that God would always answer His prayers. Here’s why: “And He that sent Me is with Me: the Father has not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him” (John 8:29).

If you follow Christ’s footsteps and obey God, your prayers will be answered!

Consider this: “He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination” (Prov. 28:9). If you do not listen to (and obey) God, He will not listen to you!

Approach God with a clean conscience: When you sin—break God’s laws—He cannot hear you: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear” (Isa. 59:1-2).

In Psalm 24, David asked, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (vs. 3-4).

He also wrote, “If I regard iniquity [sin] in my heart [mind], the Lord will not hear” (66:18).

Confess your sins before God. Repent and ask for His forgiveness. Christ’s blood will cleanse you.

Some people fall into a dangerous pattern: When they sin, their guilt gnaws at them. They feel too ashamed to approach God in prayer. And God cannot hear a prayer that is never uttered. Because they have not confessed their sins and repented, their sin grows. Soon they are trapped in a cycle of sin. If they do not turn to God soon, their conscience will be seared. They will end up sinning without feeling guilt, shame or fear.

Do not let this happen to you!

The Bible states, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

God has seen men commit every sin imaginable. Your confession cannot shock Him. But it will set you free from the deadly cycle of sin, pain and, ultimately, death.

Be bold: This world’s Christianity pictures Christ as a helpless weakling nailed to a cross.

But the Bible clearly shows that Christ is in heaven, actively working on behalf of His servants: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God; let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:14-15).

When we pray to God, we do so by the authority of Jesus Christ. His shed blood allows us to enter the most holy place in the universe—God’s throne!

That is why, when we pray, we are commanded to “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:14-16).

God expects our prayers to be bold, full of confidence—in Him, not self.

If we come before God wavering and full of doubt, He will not listen (James 1:6-7).

Pray in detail: Some have reasoned, “Why should I pray? Doesn’t God already know everything, including what I think?”

Yes, He does. In fact, God knows you better than you know yourself, down to the number of hairs you have on your head (Matt. 10:30; Luke 12:7).

Consider this scripture: “And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb [Christ], having everyone of them harps, and golden vials full of odors [incense], which are the prayers of saints” (Rev. 5:8).

You must know that God is in the prayer answering business, and if He answered prayers in the past He certainly will answer yours today. The most important thing is learning how to approach God in a way that is going to get God’s attention, so that your prayer petition will be received and answered by God.

The one thing that you must clearly understand is this, “there are conditions.” First you must learn to approach God HIS way, not your own. You need to know how to pray—when—how often—where—and what to pray for. The answers are in God’s Word.

Let us look at some of the conditions to answered prayer. The following is not an exhaustive list; this is just an introduction to get you to the point of learning the importance of prayer in your life.

Ask in faith; You must believe—have faith. The apostle Paul wrote, “But without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Heb. 11:6).

Why, Because “he who comes to God must BELIEVE that He is”—that God exists—“and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (same verse). If you want God to answer your prayers, you must first believe that He exists and that He will hear you. That takes faith.

James added, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man thinks that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James. 1:6-7).

But what is faith? Here is the Bible’s definition: “…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). Faith is your PROOF that God will deliver His promises—it is your GUARANTEE that He will come through for you.

God cannot lie (Heb. 6:18). He always fulfills His promises. Moreover, He promises that if you faithfully turn to Him, He will turn to you (Zech. 1:3)—God will answer your prayers.

However, you must also meet other conditions.

Be diligent: When do most people pray when they are sick and suffering and want to be healed, when they are in need of financial help and need to find a job, etc.), they ask God once, maybe twice, and then give up.

Nevertheless, Christ said, “ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. On the other hand, what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Alternatively, if he asks a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” (Matt. 7:7-11; Luke 11:8-9).

Let God know that you are serious about your request.

Keep in mind that He seldom answers prayers in the way or period most people expect. God does things His way, according to His timetable.

If a matter is important to you, do not pray about it just once. Come to God repeatedly, not in a nagging way, but with sincere, heartfelt petitions. Be diligent.

Again, let God know how serious you are.

Pray for God’s will, not your own: In the world, most pray for selfish reasons. Some ask God to bless them in winning the lottery. Others pray that their enemies will get their “just desserts.” Are they truly seeking God’s will?

Notice James 4: “You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts” (vs. 2-3). If your mind is set on foolish, carnal lusts, God will not hear you.

Your requests must be centered on what God desires. The Apostle John wrote, “And this is the confidence that we have in [God], that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him” (I John 5:14-15).

Just before He was arrested tortured and crucified, Jesus cried out to God in anguish. He prayed, “O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as You will” (Matt. 26:39).

Humanly, Jesus did not want to suffer the brutal torture and death that awaited Him. Yet He still prayed that God’s will be done, not His own. Christ always put God first. He always approached Him with a yielded, humble attitude.

This will be continued in Part 2. In order to view some of our PRAYERS, click on the categories button on the left side of the page, then stroll down to PRAYERS and click there and you will find many prayers to benefit you. May God bless you as you study His Holy Word.

When we awaken to the realization in our life that we are truly a sinner, and that all of us on this earth has sinned and fell short of God’s glory this question will always come to the forefront of our cardinal minds. When it arrives, it is important that those of us whom God has transformed our lives and given us eternity should be in a position to answer this question for the person who is seeking Christ. It is our job to give to the lost sheep God’s plan of salvation. God wants to save one lost sheep at a time. Since you were chosen as a Disciple of Jesus Christ to go on the battlefield and fight for the lives of those that are lost in Christ, it is your job to be armed with all the tools God has provided for you in order to save that lost soul from eternal condemnation.

What must I do to be saved? This question was first asked by a jailer at Ephesus, who witnessed an earthquake, that freed Paul and Silas. Paul and Silas were the Church’s first official evangelists, who had been falsely arrested and beaten, and left in his charge. The earthquake came as the climax to a midnight prison cell prayer and praise meeting and it spurred the jailer to consider the condition of his soul. What must I do to be saved, you asked? If you truly want to be saved, listen to what the Lord says you must do, “you should first go to God in prayer. When praying to Him you should tell Him you are sorry for the sinful things that you have done against Him and how you want to do the right thing from now on (1 John 1:9, Acts 20:21). Next you should ask Him to forgive your sins through His death payment on the cross (Colossians 2:10-14). Last, make a commitment to God that you will wholly follow His commandments and believe on Him and His Word, with the help of His Holy Spirit (John 14:15).

If you just prayed the prayer above, there are some important things you need to learn. To make sure your faith gets grounded, you need to contact a bible believing church and tell them of your newfound relationship with Jesus Christ (Ecclesiastes 4:9). Then, you need to attended this church or some other good bible base church regularly. Next, you will need to have someone baptize you (Acts 2:38). Baptism is a demonstration of your new birth into the Body of Christ, which is God’s church. To keep yourself in good standing with God, you should make Christian friends, read the Bible, and practice the truth contained therein (Romans 10:17, 2 Timothy 2:15, Proverbs 27:17).

In a unified relationship you are required to walk both in the light and in the truth. The two are parts of the same concept. Christ is our light. He promised that those who follow Him will not walk in darkness (John 8:12). In His light, we see truth, live the truth, and speak the truth. The Holy Spirit is the inner light who helps us see what that means for each relationship and circumstance. Walking in His light and truth is the only possible basis for true unity. John puts it clearly, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1:7). Nothing debilitates a deep relationship more than pretense—dishonesty with the light of His Word and counsel. Too easily we project a “pretend person” to others. To attempt to pretend that we are other than we are brings stiffness and strain into relationships. Others are either put off, or, in response, pretend as well. Walking in truth of light shows us who we really are; yes, our weaknesses, but also our security in Christ. The key to having great relationships is vulnerability, allowing people to know us as growing, though sometimes failing, yet always as Spirit-motivated people. Unity—true, practical love—happens when we walk in the light and in the truth.